Undisciplined, spoiled brat teenagers...

[Sigman]

...The purpose of basic training is to take undisciplined boys, turn them into men, and then turn those men into disciplined soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen.

It is done in the way that it is because history has shown us that this is what works. And until such time as the little villains that you are babysitting are subjected to that process, you are stuck with a bunch of undisciplined boys. (Probably some girls, too, who frequently are worse.) Expecting these children to behave, and comport themselves, like disciplined troops is, therefore, expecting too much.

You have for whatever reason been condemned, for the time being, to serve in the role of herding turkeys, and it would probably help to think of it that way. Helping get your miscreants into better physical shape before they go to basic is probably going to be the best, and most constructive, thing that you can do to, and for, them at this point. And it will keep them occupied.

Try to not let this make you crazy. This period shall pass, and better duty no doubt awaits you down the road.

Think of all of this as paying your dues. Good luck.

And thank you for your service.

Well said!! Love the turkey analogy! :thumbsup:

 

[matt_j]

So they do their basic than go home for however long and than go back to AIT? or AIT follows basic just like in RA?

 

[Jumpmaster]

So they do their basic than go home for however long and than go back to AIT? or AIT follows basic just like in RA?

Well...the National Guard (AFAIK) is the only service that has this program. When National Guard enlistees sign up, they're in the NG right then and there. They attend these drills with other enlistees and get paid for their weekend...even before shipping to basic training.

As far as doing basic then going home and going back to AIT, yes...that's called "Split Option" and any component (RA, NG, or Reserve) enlistee has this option...it's usually restricted to high school students though so they attend basic between their junior and senior year...then AIT after they graduate high school.

Most people go straight through from Basic to AIT. Sometimes, basic and AIT is combined and you will be with the same soldiers (and Drill Sergeants) throughout training. This is called One Station Unit Training (OSUT). Only certain MOS's have OSUT.

Confused?

Thanks for the support, everyone!

JM-99

 

[PEU]

I have an almost 4 kid (the one right to my name ).

You start noticing that you do good job in early education when other parents notice the differences between your kid and theirs.

For example since age 3ish my kid knows and uses the word Please and Thank you, and believe me if it werent unpolite I would take a picture of the other parents faces when they hear that

A kid in his early years must MUST MUUUUST know the meaning of the word "NO" and know what things are OK and what are off limits, if you don't teach that, then Im sure you will have kids as described in previous posts.

I dont agree with parents being friends of their kids, maybe on adulthood, but when child it does more harm than good.

The kids must learn to understand limits, for example, they must know they can't have all the toys they see on TV or the ones their friends have, some yes, not all.

I think that if you give them all that they want, they learn not to value anything, and thats a safe route to be a problem when teenage.

Anyway, Im sure this toughts of mine aren't native of Argentina, but are universal, all the parents know them, but only a portion applies them too...


Pablo

 

[Arkayne]

Personally, I believe that pop culture and the amount of time that people spend wallowing in unrealistic, marketing inspired bullshi* is the prime culprit. I also wouldn't limit this to just young people but everyone who spends more than 20 minutes a week subjecting themselves to the messages whose prime goal is manipulation of our hearts and minds. When our society is engineered by individuals with profit as their prime motivation we shouldn't be surprised when we turn out individuals who are massively self involved and undisciplined. Fortunately there are still alot of people who recognize the situation and make an effort to avoid compromising core values for the sake of 'fitting in' .

You took the words right out of my mouth. Preach on!

 

[tvodrd]

:thumbsup: Pablo!

Larry

 

[Santelmo]

So I've become an instructor in the National Guard -- we prepare the new enlistees to ship to basic training or return to AIT. The goal is to prepare them mentally and physically for the training environment they'll be in at the training installation.

Turns out, some of them don't like me too well! They're angry with me because I tell them to do things like...I don't know...TURN THEIR CELL PHONES OFF DURING FORMATION AND LIGHTS OUT! Or...for telling them not to move or talk at the position of attention. Or for telling them to be quiet when they come into the room talking loudly while people are trying to sleep already. You know...pretty basic things. (BTW, they are not allowed to have cell phones at all during basic training...under penalty of UCMJ. If it were up to me, it'd be the same way here -- they need to focus on training -- not flirting with their recruiter over the phone.)

If they hate me now, they will have quite the awakening once they ship to basic training. I noticed this a lot when I was in basic training and AIT. The vast majority of the 17-21 year-olds I was in training with were just the most undisciplined, spoiled brats you've ever seen -- but that was corrected during the first week or so of basic.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned (or just OLD) but when I misbehaved as a child, my dad beat my $## with a belt -- and I turned out fine. Never smoked, drank, touched drugs, etc. These kids get pissed over just about anything! I guess people's parents just let them get away with anything now?

Not all of them are this way...just most of them.

I think I'm just going to quit asking nicely and just start PT'ing the crap out of them from now on when they're disrespectful. That seems to be the only thing they understand. We are not drill sergeants and we do not act in that role...but I have been tasked as the "disciplinarian"...to keep them in line...

Sorry...just ranting...I'm trying to help these people and they don't seem to give a crap about anyone else but themselves.

JM-99

From someone who was never able to enter the military academy because of his bad eyes (the admissions of officer took one look at my glasses and said: "With those eyes?! Hell no!") but later on became "Cadet of the Year" at ROTC ---

GOOD ON YA, SIR! (Then gives a snappy cyber-salute, chest out, gut in)

 

[ikendu]

...And my rank?

In the military, this has to be enough. Period. Can't work any other way.